Pocatello/Chubbuck school board names new stadium

The Pocatello/Chubbuck school district has a name for its new stadium.

Tuesday night, the school board voted “Iron Horse” as the name.

The board selected Iron Horse from five potential name choices: Iron Horse, Gem, Gateway, Koetter, and PHC (which stood for Pocatello, Highland, Century – the three local high schools getting the most use of the stadium.)

Shelley Allen, community relations specialist with the school district, said Iron Horse was a clear winner when looking at the board’s anonymous votes.

“It was overwhelming – the results for Iron Horse,” Allen said. “So I think there was broad consensus and I think they all just loved it. It’s very visual, it’s very strong, it’s historical so I think it was a good choice.”

Originally, there were ten names, but community input narrowed it to the top five for the board to decide on.

Name submissions came from students from the local high schools. The name submissions had to have significance to Bannock County, its history, or something symbolic of what Pocatello/Chubbuck is known for.

Allen said Iron Horse refers to the railroad and its impact on the community and establishing Pocatello. The name also symbolizes Native American culture, which largely influenced the development of Pocatello – and still does with Fort Hall being nearby. Allen said the board felt Iron Horse was a strong name with potential to be great for marketing and encompassed quite a bit within the name.

The new stadium cost $2.5 million from existing funds from the district. Allen said the current track facility behind Highland High was in poor shape. The board looked at upgrading and fixing current facilities but found it was more cost effective to build a new facility that the entire district could use, including high schools, middle schools. And Allen said the board hopes it can help attract large events and bring in an economic boost.

Allen said the district hopes to have the stadium completed by Nov. 1.